Muslims in Athens are voicing their displeasure concerning the delay of a mosque construction that would house tens of thousands of worshipers. The mosque would allow for many Athenian Muslims adequate place to pray and gather, instead of using abandoned factories or converted coffee shops as makeshift prayer houses, as they have been doing for years.
In 2007, the Greek government unveiled a bill for the construction of a mosque on a large plot of land owned by the Greek navy. According to the bill, the mosque would be run by a nonprofit organization staffed by state officials and members of the Muslim community, and the imam would be government appointed, backed, and salaried. However, the president of the Muslim Union of Greece said that the construction of a state-funded mosque and cemetery in Elaionas, near the center of Athens, has faced countless delays. A specific reason for the delay has not been given.
